Phoenix Arrival
by Ranita66
Summary: 15 year old Phoenix has finally broken free from the School; she is the first 'experiment' to ever do this without aid. Desperately she embarks on a wild goose chaise to find, help and warn the valiant Maximum Ride and her flock hoping it is not too late.
1. Chapter 1: Cage

**Hi people! Thanks for reading my book. It's my first try so go easy!**

**Also I only own Phoenix, NOTHING ELSE!!! :D**

The breath was knocked from my body as I was slammed into the back of my cage. Groaning I put my hands over my fury fox/cat ears, asking myself yet again 'How do I get out?' My legs shook as they recovered from running nonstop at forty miles per hour for six hours. This was not the first time they had done this, they don't only test speed on land but in water and also in the air. A few of the 'School's' scientists walked past my cage. They occasionally glanced in at me, scrutinizing.

"When will her DNA unravel and kill her?" they would ask and I would really not care.

You heard right, I consist of five percent bird DNA, same five percent with the fox, and I also have three percent cat DNA. The rest is human. Don't even say it I know I am a freak! My tail (yeah, fox tail) twitched, agitated.

I curled into a shaking ball resting my chin on my knees. My dark red hair flopped over my face casting it in darkness.

" Phoenix? Why me, what did I do?"

I looked over and my gaze was met by the huge brown eyes of my only companion; a small frightened seemingly normal boy.

"I don't know why, I just know these are bad people who don't even care," my voice was hoarse.

Absent mindedly the boy, he did not have a name, rubbed his neck. His 'expiration date' had appeared on his neck earlier this week, condemning him to death. What was he, like four years old? He started crying silently, "It will be okay," I reassured, fully aware how very far from 'okay' it actually was.

I hugged my knees closer and fell into a restless sleep. It was restless, brief, and agitated, but it was sleep. I awoke with my feet submerged in melted metal. I gasped and looked up. Half of my cage was around my feet, but I was not getting burned! Cautiously I touched a bar, and it joined the puddle. I looked over to ask the boy what had happened but he was dead; his expiration date pulsing oddly. A tear rolled from my eye he was so young I thought. Then I started to panic, I was all alone AGAIN, no one to comfort me, no one to help me.

Anger welled in my head like a cloud blocking out the sun, orange flame licked my skin. Where it came from I don't know, but I took advantage of the opportunity, and flexed my wings fully extending them. They erupted from my shoulders; a fiery red but faded to a midnight black. I had noticed that the security cameras had melted; I randomly picked a door and bolted through it. Almost immediately I ran into erasers, they snarled and snapped but I was faster and I kicked and punched my way through their flammable coats.

After I extinguished the fire on my skin I continued on my way through the halls, the fire tingling under my flesh. I skidded to a stop outside an open door, looking inside I saw a single scientist sitting at a computer. I leaped; claws extended hurtling at his throat. He was unconscious on the floor when I sat down in the seat. A conversation I remembered flew through my head. "Max got away, WITH THE FLOCK, but how?"

"Max," I murmured and started looking for information on the 'flock' and myself, printing out anything I found which was not much. Until I clicked on a file called the by half plan, it contained information on me and the flock and why the school wanted to kill us, wait they wanted to kill me? That was all I needed to hear, clicking the print button I hurried to the door and bolted it as I heard shouting come from down the hall. I waited as the computer spewed page after page of information.

When the last page of information was produced, I kicked the computer, melting it instantly. How am I doing this? I walked over to the bars on the window the information in one hand, with the other hand I touched the bars and they left a huge opening for me to take off through. I slammed my fist into the window; shattering instantly, and took a running leap out and extended my wings freely for the first time. Clinging to the papers I flew out into freedom. I let the fire light my body pointing the energy behind me; it really felt as if I was a rocket! "MAIMUM RIDE HERE I COME!!!" I screamed at the top of my hoarse voice.

Thirty minutes later I was flying over some patch of trees, when I ran into massive wave of exhaustion. I landed clumsily in the tree; and set the imperative papers in a hole in the trunk, as I settled in a branch falling asleep immediately.

I woke entirely rested, but kept my eyes closed thinking about my 'power'. Apparently anger was its trigger. This was the first time anything like this had ever happened to me in my fifteen years of life. When I opened my eyes I started reading the documents.

Maximum Ride turned out to be one of the more illusive of the schools creations; she slipped through their fingers constantly, on an almost daily basis. My stomic grumbled, oh food right! I looked around and noticed it was twilight. I must have slept for one and a half days!

Another question occurred to me; how do I conceal the whole mutant thing? I decided on

#1 a hat for the ears

#2 trench coat for wings and tail and

#3 gloves for claws,

"but what about my cat eyes?" I muttered agitated.

I'm going to have to break in to a store or something. I hid the documents and took wing.

Gliding east I used my inborn compass to direct myself southeast toward some town. Turns out there are things called malls, well it had bad security and I saw clothes and food notecases, JACKPOT!

I broke in and pulled in my wings so no security cameras would see. The first place I saw was called Mrs. Fields Cookies, YUM! I tried one of each flavor narrowing down my favorites to chocolate chip and peanut butter.

I started on my quest for clothes looking for a back pack and a hunting knife too. I popped into store after store; eventually having almost everything I needed other than the knife. I drew up to the hunting stores window. This was one of the few stores that actually had security. I spotted a knife and also an edible plants guide book. Scrutinizing the glass I drew my foot up and smashed through it.

Alarms sounded and I snagged the book and tool. I turned on my heel and leaped out of the skylight that I had broken into with, and jumped into the air, spreading my wings.

**REVEW PLEASE!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2: On the Run

Hey all

**Hey all! Thanks for the reviews I am glad some people out there are reading my work!!!**

I had snagged pretty much every thing I needed. I pulled out my new knife and started cutting slits into the back of all my shirts for my wings. It was quick work, but tiresome. After a half an hour of working I fell asleep in my tree branch.

My ears twitched picking up some sort of chanting. Sleepily I opened my eyes scanning the horizon, "what the heck?" I muttered. About fifty of those creepy robots I had seen in the school were flying towards me on metal wings.

They were chanting something; my ears twitched again picking up on the noise. "We are one of many! We are one of many! We are one of many!" turned and jumped of the branch clumsily extending my wings, launching myself at the horde. I hopelessly kicked and punched, there were too many of them! Agitation grew in my mind, "Why wont you die!?" I screamed.

"Phoenix can not win!" they chanted.

"SHUT UP!" I bellowed, punching the closet one to me. The instant my fist contacted its face I released my anger. Instead of the extra power I was looking for, my fist lit on fire, lighting its face ablaze! They kept chanting and flying clumsily towards me. "I SAID SHUT UP!!!" I shrieked, punching and kicking them. I landed fiery blows left and right.

They reacted as if they were covered in gasoline, going up in flame if they even came close to the fire around me. To be truthful it was kind of fun! You wouldn't expect being outnumbered by evil robots 1 to 50 and fighting for your life to be fun, but it was when you had the advantage of FIRE! I could light one and kick it into another and cause a chain reaction. I spun preparing to fight off more but they were all gone! I scanned the horizon making sure they were all gone; once I was sure I glided to my tree.

I pulled my back pack out of the branch and shoved the documents in it before leaping off of the branch gliding dew east. The exact opposite direction of my old 'home', I snickered at the name 'home', _yeah right!_

If you have ever flown (which I doubt you have) you would know how it feels. The winds holding you up, like you were in heaven, you were free, you were… well, walking on air! Tucking in my wings I dived sticking out my primary feathers at an angle and started to spin! I opened my mouth and laughed but the sound was lost in the clouds. The spin dive accelerated quickly, I snapped my wings back out, rocketing through the atmosphere searching for a place to live.

Cave? No water source. Tree? Maybe but not much protection. A nice house on the coast? Yeah right, I am so funny! I glided over a lake surrounded by trees, well it should work. I dived streamlining my body to accelerate faster. I pulled out of the dive and landed on a branch setting my back pack on a branch.

I jumped down and walked over to the lack and looked at my reflection, my eyes! I had forgotten about my EYES! The bright golden cat eyes stared back at me, "How do I hide you?" I asked them. They did not answer, of course, "bangs?" Well it would help at the very least. I pulled on my human disguise and looked at my reflection again; the eyes were the main problem. Other than that I think I could pull off humanity.

I drew out my hunting knife and sliced and chopped away at my hair creating a sort of mask; concealing my true identity. It really was far from perfect but much better. My thoughts were interrupted by my grumbling stomach.

Striding over to my bag I rummaged for my only book. Let's see um… okay apparently I will look for _wild strawberries_ they were in season, but do not take my word for it, I am the one who grew up in a cage. I found a small patch along the edge of the woods, they were delicious. I sat in the dim sun and pulled the documents from my bag, and started scanning them for important information. They mentioned names like Anne Walker, Jeb Bachelor, Ari Bachelor, Dr. Martinez, and a Dr. ter Borcht (must have been a type-o). It even said that the flock was staying at Anne Walker's house!

I scanned for any information on Anne Walker; it said that she lived in Virginia, and it gave an address too! I am so glad that I found these papers! I read some more of the papers but headed back towards my tree when the sun started setting.

Tree, sweet tree! Before I hit the hay I pondered my new 'power'. Well anger fueled it, it weakened me drastically when I used it and the more potent the anger the more powerful the fire. There were so many more questions I had! My tail twitched and my ears flattened and I hissed.

To get my mind off of my bitterness it flipped though my plants book looking for some sort of map. Turns out, Virginia was almost due east of my current position. My irritation forgotten I sunk into a deep sleep.

I headed out early the next day, I felt twitchy and irritable. Right now speed was most important and I could not go fast enough! Eventually I remembered how I had pointed the energy of my fire behind me to gain mass amounts of speed. I decided that I had enough irritation to fuel a sufficient amount of fire.

I inhaled deeply and on the exhale I also released all my anger. Frankly it was a lot more fun when you were not running or flying from an evil corporation that may or may not want to kill you!

About an hour later I extinguished the fire, but was not ready for the brick wall of exhaustion that I crashed into, blacking out. I woke fast only a quick black out but it made my wings stop beating, might want to fix that! I stroked down hard, propelling my self upward, I was still unbelievably tired but I had enough energy to land in a tree, barley. BAM! Ouch, I might have landed a little too hard.

I slide down into the crook of the branch and fell … ZZZ.

**Thanks for reading, just an FYI the next chapter was a dare and is really random and irrelevant. So I am apologizing ahead of time.**


	3. Carlitõ the Cow

**I am guessing that after you read this you will be really confused, I was even confused while writing this. Basically it was a dare; I thought it would be fun. You could probably skip this chapter and still get everything that was going on. So if you read this be prepared to be confused! **

**PS sorry!**

I woke to a strange mooing sound off to my left. Startled I looked and spotted a caramel colored cow standing there in the brilliance of midday. "Why are you so far from home little cow?" I asked.

"Moo," it said.

"So that's why…" I muttered. Jumping down from my tree and walking over to its side. I bent down, noticing a bell tied around it neck. On closer inspection the bell reviled its name to be Carlitõ. "Well Carlitõ I have to go soon, I am on the run from an evil corporation. I am also trying to find Maximum Ride," I told the cow.

"Moo?" it asked_ I am insane!_

"Yeah weird names, but I don't know what else to do," I told it.

"Moo," he bobbed his head up and down.

"I am so crazy; I am talking to a cow!" I muttered exasperatedly.

"MOO!" it said indignantly.

"Sorry! Okay I get it, you are Carlitõ the Great, you are The Cow!" I clarified.

"Moo!" he said proudly.

"Well I got to go, see you around and good luck on your travels!" I said as I scurried up my tree to get my stuff.

I leapt into the air, "Moo!" he called after me.

"I am so crazy; I need to talk to people who are actually people or at least hybrids like the flock! They will at least answer in English!" I whispered to myself.

**See really short little random chapter! You can review but remember I already know I am insane!**

**Carlitõ and his life story! ENJOY!!**

Carlitõ was born on an illegal Mexican cattle farm in 1932. He was deformed at birth. He had 3 horns (2 on his head and one on the back of his neck) he has 'male parts' and strangely yet he does have an utter as well. His utter has never produced milk or anything of the sort and I doubt it ever will. Instead is shoots acid. This is because Carlitõ actually can reproduce his stomach acid at will. He had strange intestines that transfers stomach acid into his utter for shooting unsuspected enemies.

When farmer Juan and his spouse Edna found this strange miracle they immediately informed the local church. They believed Carlitõ was there formers sons' spirit back from the grave coming to haunt them. The thing is they hated their son and actually killed him. When the minister of their church saw Carlitõ he screamed in horror, Carlitõ was very hurt. He rose onto his hind legs and his eyes glowed red. He immediately started grunting and he……well he sprayed acid on the 3 unlucky humans, who unfortunately melted on the spot.

That was the first of many murders preformed by Carlitõ. He became a criminal wanted for 90,000 pesos. He escaped to the U.S and is actually the cause for mad cow disease. He spat on a young calf and infected the baby cow.

Carlitõ spent many years in hiding until one day he came across a wishing well. Lucky for him he had one last peso. He made a wish and threw in the coin. His wish was to become invincible. Little did he know that his wish would come true shortly.

was swimming in a toxic waste dump and to his surprise he came across some toxic waste. Instead of swimming away from it he jumped in and started drinking. Then suddenly his flesh began to bubble and his blood boiled. His skin and body disintegrated. All that was left of him was a skeleton. But he had a special power. He could now suck the soul out of people and keep them in his ribcage.

Why did he do this? Well for his wish to come true he had too. He had to steal people's youth to live. So that's what he did. He sucked out there soul and ate it everyday; it is now part of his complete breakfast.

**Carlitõ meets up with Phoenix between the wish for invincibility and the whole skin melting off thing. I think he may show up a couple more times if you think that is okay!**


	4. Chapter 4: Unfriendly Confrontation

Chapter 4

**I have posted Carlitõ the Cow's life story on my profile! **

The wind whipped around my face as I loped and rolled in midair. In mid-loop I noticed a black cloud coming towards me, flying against the wind. Could this be the flock? No it was much too large and awkward. Robots, no more awkward then them too. What are thee things?

I meant to just fly by but when is anything that easy? They, what ever they were, saw me and started the chaise! They were big and really could not fly for crap; they looked like those eraser things at the school, except for you know the wings. I looped and flew over them; I pulled in my wings and landed a bone shattering kick right in its chest. I stopped moving its wings, like it forgot… my tail twitched; interesting! I slammed my shoulder into another ones chest he tried to doge but instead I clipped his bulky wing. He howled in pain and dropped.

"ARI, ARI, IT WAS NOT MAX! I REPEAT IT WAS NOT MAX OR ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE FLOCK!!!" on of the winged abominations screamed. _Ari Bachelor? He was mentioned in those files I stole. I must be close to the flock._ I rationalized in my head. I slammed my fist into the wing joints of the nearest thing and dropped with it, then extended my wings and flew in a rush towards the quadrants the files had supplied me with.

I had been flying for hours when I came across a large bat cave on the outskirts of Anne Walkers' property. I decided to sleep until morning than I would search the property for the flock.

That morning I rode gentle air currents to a house I assumed was Anne's; it was really massive! The house was crawling with erasers, though, and I only spotted two real people. I dived, landing impressively in front of them, wings slightly unfurled and my ears pined back aggressively.

The two humans, a male and female, jumped and the single winged eraser that stood with them growled. I recognized the two humans from the school, neither ever really studded me, but I knew they were very high up in the school.

"What do _you_ want?" asked the eraser.

"Nothing to do with you, but I am looking for the flock and have reason to believe that they are here," I said quickly.

"Why should we tell you?" the eraser asked.

"Oh, shut it fluffy! I did not ask you!" I snapped back.

"Make me!" he yelled

"Ari stop!" commanded the male scientist.

"Phoenix?" the female scientist asked.

I looked at her; "you know this freak?" accused the eraser. Apparently this was Ari.

"You are one to talk fuzz ball!" I spat.

"You really think if we knew were Max was we would tell you?"

"Ari, be quiet! Max only left yesterday, we are still looking for her and the flock down south!" The man shouted._ FLORIDA?_

"You mean like Florida?" I asked, his eyes told me everything. "That's what those flying monstrosities were after," I realized. I tensed and sprang into the air, stroked down hard and started heading east.

"Get back here!!!" a gravely voice shouted from behind me, I turned. It was that annoying eraser again! What is his name? Ari!

"Piss off, Ari!" I yelled than picked up speed, he struggled to keep up. "Listen I am serious! Go away! I am trying to find Max if I get board I will kick your butt then, but I am busy!"

"Well I am not busy!" some how he clumsily picked up speed and I had to drop a couple of feet for him to shoot over my head. I looped and shot after him, aiming a kick at his back. I clipped his wing; he winced and dropped about ten feet. He recovered clumsily, and I used the opportunity to speed up and dive. Trying to get as far away from him as possible giving the amount of time it took him to recover.

"Get back here fox freak!" a voice yelled.

I stopped on a dime, watching the mass of brown fur shoot past me; it was truly comical! "What the heck do you want?" I questioned.

"To see you and the flock behind the bars you should be behind!" he replied.

That pissed me off; the anger bubbled beneath my skin like it was the blood in my veins. I threw a barrage of kicks and punches into the center of his back ending with a furious kick propelling him towards the ground.

I huffed and started towards the bat cave where all my stuff was still hidden. As I flew a question ran through my head;_ why Florida?_ I groaned and dived into the entrance of the cave. Bending down I hooked my hand around the handle of my back pack and took off.

My dark hair formed a windblown halo as it whipped in front of my face. My wings flexed powerfully as they pushed me farther into the day.

As I glided, my stomach grumbled. I landed and started searching for food, unfortunatly to no avail. I tried twice more, but both unsuccessfully. When I landed for the forth time I stumbled across a patch of sparse blue berries, apparently these berries were called 'Blue Berries,' funny right? I popped one into my mouth… pretty good. I looked up, it was about, oh… two o'clock.

_If I eat for fifteen minutes I could still make some good head way,_ I rationalized to myself preparing myself for finally meeting up with the flock.

**Oh… Florida! Remember what happens in Florida? Review, REVIEW, **_**review!!! PLEASE!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Search

**Hello all! FYI in response to an intelligent review, Phoenix had flown before in wind tunnels at the school which I mention later on in this chapter in fact. Also the robots Phoenix sees are not Flyboys they are prototypes you also learn that in the future, and for the spelling mistakes, sorry! Keep the Reviews coming!!!**

Chapter 5:

I tilted my face up to the sun and closed my eyes, sighing peacefully. I wish life could be like this everyday! I wiggled my toes, dangling them over the sheer Cliffside. Slowly I expanded my wings fully, leaning forward, farther, farther…

I fell in a controlled dive, my eyes still closed. This exhilaration lasted for a very short period of time I pulled out of the dive and glanced at the sun, it must be about noon. I drifted lazily south, what was the rush? Next time I land I think I will try my hand at hunting. I am 13% pure predator, the scientists were amazed by the simple fact I had the ability to eat grain. What would they say about my special 'gift'?

The time drifted as lazily as I did, not boring just peaceful…

I thought about the flock, how they could avoid me was beyond belief; one was six! (At least that's what I had figured out from the stolen documents.) Honestly how could they move so much faster than me? Could I have past them… my ears twitched, what was that?

I sniffed the air; I smelled pollution… stronger than it was normally. I'm sure it is nothing probably just above a highway.

The dull roar grew louder, it was air born what ever it was… I wondered, could it possibly be a plane?

The roar grew more distinctive, it was a plane, and it was close!

"Oh crap!" I pulled my wings in and dived steeply my words were lost in the sound of the winds screaming and the machines roar. I wasn't going fast enough, I angled my feathers. I hoped the added momentum was enough; I stopped spinning and pulled out of the dive.

I landed a little to fast (Ironic right?) my head snapped up and saw the monster jet streak over my head against the colorful twilight sky, I must be near a town or and airport. Never had I been more thankful for my freakish hybrid ears.

I inhaled and smelled two rabbits sight, dinner.

Later I stared into the depths of the fire that crackled and popped constantly hunger for more fuel. Moving slowly I moved the dried meat to my bag, my fingers bushed against a smooth, cold, something.

I pulled out the plants book, board and looking for something to do, I flipped to the page that had a map of the United States. My eyes skimmed sleepily from state to state; it looked like I was in a place called North Carolina. I was making good time! I shut the book, "three states to go!" I whispered triumphantly. "I'll go threw the rest of North Carolina, tomorrow."

Replacing the book I looked over to the fire; if I can create fire, why can't I destroy it? I raised my hand palm facing the fire and concentrated on peace, the opposite of anger. The fire flickered, spluttered and started to shrink and odd feeling of heat flowed threw my system. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation. When I opened them the fire was gone, I could still see very well but light certainly helps.

Sinking to my knees I curled in a ball and leaned against a tree, sleepy. The odd thing was I was not as sleepy as I was sense I absorbed the fire. Like I took the energy back…

My rational thoughts turned to dreams but these dreams were not peaceful; the faces of thousands of failed experiments flashed in front of my eyes most tortured but some so inhuman that couldn't read the alien expression on their face. I was running, no I was flying in a wind tunnel but there was no peace in this flight. The only things I felt was panic and pain, for eternity…

I woke shakily desperate to tack flight. The promise of peace was so tempting I almost left all of my stuff behind.

The regular pumping of my wings quickly worked there magic. The calm flowing so immediately after tack off the effect was fascinating. The air currents raped me up like a blanket pushing me higher and higher. I over took the clouds quickly and sped onward and upward, but I was listening closely to the distinctive call of a jet engine.

I decided I was making good time so I reached over my shoulder and drew out a charred piece of meat. Nibbling, I subconsciously lost altitude until I was weaving and darting around clouds; white and fluffy is just an alias they are actually cold wet and EVIL!

I glanced around and spotted a dark cluster of shapes, they looked like those winged Erasers. Just to be safe I started flying faster and gained altitude.

When the sun started setting I dived slowly, spotting the coast I gasped.

The word unbelievably spectacular and breath taking don't even begin to describe the beauty of the ocean. I landed lightly in a tree just starring at the coast.

"Max, where are you?" I whispered. If they were in Florida where? I'll head to a city neat the center than work form there, I guess.

The pounding of waves on the shore line lulled me to sleep, but one thought stayed in my head the entire time. What do I say to them when we finally meat?

**Please REVIEW, I love feed back even if you think it is stupid and worthless at least I will know you are reading it!!!**

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	6. Chapter 6: Bad News

**Thanks for reading!!!**

Chapter 6

That morning I dipped my feet in to the cool water of the coast, running through the check list in my head. I pointed myself south and started running, and at just the right moment, I unfurled my wings and took to the sky.

I flew low, keeping to the forests and unpopulated areas. I was flying with the air currents so I was making good very good time, when I heard am unpleasantly familiar voice.

"You could not get them? You stupid brats! Why did I trust you with this?" I heard a gut wrenching slap. glancing down, I saw that I was flying over a swamp. Why would anyone be out there?

I decided to pop in and see what was going on. I landed in an ancient tree and peered around the leaves, folding in my wings carefully. My eyes swept around the moist clearing focusing on Ari.

He stood there with two little children in front of him, one with a red mark across her face. The other was a little boy who was pleading, "No please! She knew, she knew! We couldn't do any thing! We tried to contact you, but she knew!"

"Shut up!" Ari shouted, and hit the little boy. Now he had gone way too far!

I coiled my body like a spring and shouted, "Hey, flee bag! Why don't you pick on someone your own size!"

He turned and demanded, "Where are you?"

"Boo!" I shouted and sprang. I slammed into him so hard I heard my own joints pop. Leaping away gracefully, I crouched ready for a fight.

"You are way too fast for your own good!" he noted, then launched at me.

"Run!" I screamed at the children, before I darted out of the way, following threw with a vicious kick aimed at its head. Fluffy caught my leg and swung me into a tree. I sprinted at him and leaped over his head landing on his back. I clawed wickedly; scratches appeared where ever my claws fell.

The next toss took me to the tree where my stuff was, I looked around and saw the other Erasers starting to circle me. I knew I had lost. Jumping up, I started climbing the tree, and when I was high enough I leaped up and shot into the sky. I hope those kids got away safely.

I sped threw the air as fast as I could, making sure my pursuers were lost, and I had got away. I saw a city on the horizon. Tuning that way, I hoped I could find some sort of sign that Max was near.

I combed threw the city streets for the rest of the day, but decided to come back tomorrow, and if I found nothing then either, than I would move on.

That night I stayed in a tree ten miles from the city, it had been a pretty boring afternoon. All I found out was that the place was called Orlando.

That morning I hurried into town, and started looking for any thing that could help me. The first useful piece of information was in a news stand. A newspaper head line caught my eye, 'Flying Children Spotted,' "WHAT," I practically screamed. Trust me I got some weird looks.

"What do we have here?" a all but to familiar voice asked me. I felt a cold gun barrel press against my back. I stiffened and slowly turned. "Walk!" he commanded, so I did.

He lead me to the outskirts of the town, I only have one shot at this! Whirling I grabbed the gun, instantly melting it in my hand.

"Ahh!" Ari yelled surprised, I started sprinting. My hand tingled and looking down I realized it was covered in melted metal; it tingled unpleasantly but did not hurt.

Skidding to a stop, I looked down and grabbed my stuff. Twisting, I prepared to take off, but spotted a winded figure in the distance. Could this be Max?

"Max?" I called she landed in front of me.

"No, I am better than Max. I am Max two!" she said. This is not good.

I dropped quickly grabbing a handful of dirt which I hurled into Max two's eyes. I twisted and took to the skies adrenalin pumping threw my veins.

I need to warn Max! If I follow… wham!

I fell, hitting the ground hard. Thankfully I had been flying low so I did not hit as hard as I would have. Slowly the blackness surrounded me, and then I was nowhere.

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	7. Chapter 7: Ways Out

**Okay all I have a deal for you, ready? I'll keep writing if you keep reviewing, dear or no deal? Okay well here's the highly anticipated chapter 7!!! **

Chapter 7

I don't know how long I was unconscious, but when I did wake up, I was pissed, and I could not see… at all. To most this would be a, 'oh crap', but to me it is an, 'I am so totally dead!' See, I have extraordinary night vision. You know, the cat DNA. I held my hand in front of my face and tried to light my finger on fire. No luck: not a good sign. It was like I was under water, but it was different. I reached out all I felt was the strange liquid, I was surrounded by it.

I couldn't sink or rise, all I did was float… "Where am I?" I whispered. (Frankly I had many other questions like: What is this? Why am I here? Is any one there? The list went on and on.) The sound of my voice was like the distant peal of a far off bell. Was I dead? Was I in a coma? Were they performing more tests…? A shudder ran up my spine. Ever sense the first time they had injected me with the pain inducing serum when I was four to study my reaction, needles had always been connected with pain and torture…

I shook my self bringing me back to the present. The last thing I remember is falling… Max two!

I floated there thinking; could this liquid boil? Experimentally I released a wave of heat into the liquid that held me, it worked. I felt the definite change in temperature! If I could boil this, the pressure might be enough to bust me out. But it also might crush me to death! I have to risk it, but I'd need as much strength as I could get. I'll do it in an hour, I had to warn Max. In preparation I would have to endure an agonizing hour of gathering pure ruthless resentment. I opened my eyes and started slowly spinning the liquid around me, and me with it. The temperature rose alarmingly fast, slowly the liquid started boiling

I saw a crack of searing light, then the pods lid was blown, releasing all of the boiling liquid out of it and me along with it. The liquid poured over the twelve scientists who had gathered around the pod, my scream joined there's as the tsunami hit them. Every nerve in my body was ice cold, the pain was unbelievable. Every sense screamed in protest.

I quieted, slowly rising ominously to my feet. My eyes fell on my bag, my property spilling out over a counter. Snatching it up, I noticed another pod that lay open on the other side of the room, next to it a smashed window. I sprinted at this window and extended my clumsy wings, and before I made the leap I over heard someone say, "Max first now her!" Someone else reply, "At least we have the Flock!"

Max was here I am closer than I ever dared to think! My eyes raked the sky, nothing.

I dropped onto a building's roof, there was only one Eraser near it and I could attack him if I had too. Immediately when my feet hit the cement a cold ominous feeling swept through me. One second I was on the roof top, the next I felt the cold touch of metal on bear skin. I looked at my arm, where a syringe protruded. I looked at my other arm there where two more there too, oh crap. More appeared by the second each seemed sharper than the last cutting into my flesh.

Something crashed threw a window. Suddenly from beneath me the agonized scream of, "SPIDERS!!!" cut threw my silent panic attack. This out cry was fallowed by a voice holler, "NOOO!" then a metallic thud. What was going on down there? I didn't have much time to think when a little girls voice wailed, "RATS! RATS!" as the millionth needle penetrated my skin a scream ripped up my throat it blended in with their own it was pure hell what ever it was.

"Guys, guys!" someone shouted, his voice cutting through the high pitched wails. "This can't be real!!! It isn't real!"

Oh god, I hoped it wasn't! It felt real, but how could it be? The bleeding scabs on my arms were real enough…

"My invite must have gotten lost in the mail," said a venomous voice. "But I don't mind crashing this party."

Than there was silence the needles were gone and it sounded like everything else was gone too!

"_Max?_" a gruff voice asked. Ari!

"Max!" a girl shouted.

"Yes," two identical voices answered

"They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," I am so confused! "So I guess you're really sucking up," said one of the two identical voices.

"Who are _you_?" the other asked. "You're an impostor!"

"No, she isn't," someone said. "You are."

"But Angel," a sincere voice said, "how can you say that? You know who I am."

"I think I'm Angel," she said. "And my dog isn't stupid. You're the stupid one, to think that you could fool us. I can read minds, you _idiot._" Hold up! WHAT!!!

I am so confused!!! "Yeah, you _idiot,_"

"Okay, let's solve your personality crisis," a voice said

"I was about to say the same thing," the other growled. "Keep your hands off my flock!"

"Oh good, you two have met each other," said another voice.

"Max, are you all right?" said a voice. Okay I am giving up trying to figure out who is talking this I so annoying!

"Take out the old version. She's no good. She's got an expiration date."

"You don't want to do this," said a low voice. "You don't want a piece of me."

"Wrong!"

"Uh, Max? There is something you should…"

"Shut up!"

After that I heard the ruthless fight between the real Max and Max two! By this time I had my ear pressed against the concrete and listened intently, the needles in my arms forgotten for now.

"There can only be one Max," a soft voice said.

"Yeah, the real one," Ari said, that fuzz ball had the most distinctive voice I had ever heard!

"Let's see if what you say about her is true, Batchelder," a deep voice said.

I heard an anguished yell then. "Which one survives is up to you, may the strongest Max win!" That guy is really annoying!!!

"Shut up, jerk!" and the fight continued.

"You think you're so great," someone hissed, I heard a snap.

"Max?" someone asked. "Kind of important…"

"There can be only one Max," the annoying voice said.

"I'm stronger. Stronger than you. Because I'm not going to kill this girl for you. I won't sink to your pathetic level," one shouted, was it the original?

"Max, there can't be two Maxes." Why did you make two then?

"Then you shouldn't have _made_ two of us. Now it's your problem." I like this girl!

"You don't understand. Only one of you can fulfill your mission, your destiny."

"You know, it sounds like you guys didn't really think this all the way through. You plugged us into equation and predicted outcomes. Well, I got news for you nimrod. In this equation of your, we're _variables._ We're going to_ vary,_" you go girl! "What you sick jerks don't seem to get is that I'm an_ actual person. _She's a person. All of us are! And I'm done jumping through your hoops. You can tell yourselves that you're doing all this to save the world, but really you're just a bunch of psycho puppet-masters who probably didn't date enough in high school." Wow that girl can rant!

I heard an alarm go off; this can't be good!

"Max?"

"We've got to get out of here!"

"Max, really…"

"_What?_ We're up the creek, if you haven't noticed! What's so _important_?" she snapped, poor kid.

"_Duck,_" wait WHAT?!?!?!

A huge piece of rock flew past my face as the colossal explosion rained ruble down onto my head. The floor fell out from beneath my feet. The last thing I heard before I blacked out was a frantic voice screaming. "Report! REPORT!!!"

**MOWA HA HA HA! This was fun, but my fingers are going to fall off if I keep typing so I have to stop, and as always please REVIEW!!!**


	8. Chapter 8: Dallas

**Hi all!!! Sorry it took so long to add my editor had homework and got sleepy.**

Chapter 8

This time when I forced myself from unconsciousness, I could see and I was alert. I was covered in a thin layer of dust from head to toe, I lay on my stomach; my back towards the ceiling. Groaning I pushed the rubble off of my back, and stood up to look around.

It was like a tornado had ripped threw here… or like a bomb had gone off. Inhaling deeply my sharp nose sifted threw all of the smells that filled the destroyed room. One of the stronger smells was of gunpowder, the stuff that could be in a bomb.

I took off. Sure enough the smell continued out into the sky. It must be the flock! I searched for the flock desperately. The scent was very distinct, was still hard to track.

Their scent led me to a car park in Georgia, where it became fainter. It seemed that they took a car and continued on the ground. The car drove threw the rest of Georgia into Alabama. By this time my wings were so sore that every down stroke was a painful effort.

I quickly found a nice tall tree and collapsed from exhaustion. I fell asleep immediately.

The next day I ate quickly and started the chase again. The car wove threw Mississippi and Louisiana. I took frequent naps alternating between flying and sleeping. I ate on the go, finally arriving in a place called Texas, ever heard of it?

Eventually I had to go on foot in my human set of clothes because they lead me to a city. The signs called it 'Dallas.' I tried my luck at the news stand again to see if they had made any not so smart moves. Of course scrolled on the top of the paper was the headline, "**Bird-kids Sighted at Football Game!**" Wow that was way too easy, but I guess I am on the right track!

Inhaling again I quickly located their sent and was off.

They were flying again, heading west. They had flown into a mountain range; their sent was much harder to track because of all of the other scents and the high winds.

To be sure I was still on the right track I inhaled again a thick oily mechanical sent mixed in with all of the others. I recognized it, I had smelled it before but where and when…? It smelled faintly of Erasers but more robotic. That's it! They were the fake Erasers, but these had had upgrades! They had a more complex smell. I started flying as fast as I could, heading towards the scent of Erasers that aren't and the Flocks smell. The Flock smell seemed to be lacking something, it was odd…

I turned a corner and saw the mass of Erasers that aren't, was I too late? A small explosion light up five of the robots, they must still be fighting! I had to help them! Diving I hurtled into the throng lighting my fists on fire as I went. The flock must be so brave! To fight these odds, even I was beginning to doubt myself. There were just so many of them, and with every punch and kick I got weaker. I glanced down the four members of the flock I could see were fighting hard but they were wild eyed. They knew as well as I did it was useless, but I might as well take out as many as I could.

One of the things punched me in the wing joint. My wings faltered and gave out, I fell onto sharp rocks passing out.

You know how people say that when you drown your life flashed before your eyes? Well that was all I got flashes, I was tied up at the foot of the passenger seat I couldn't move even if I had the energy or the will power then I lapsed back into unconsciousness. The next time I woke I glanced out the window; a dry sandy desert was all I saw, but what I heard was a different story altogether! I angled my ears so I could listen in better:

Two voices cried, "Angel!"

Curious I inclined my head, a small innocent voice replied, "Time to die!" okay maybe not so innocent!

There was a crash and someone asked "Iggy?" what a weird name but I am one to talk!

"Max!" Max?

"You guys okay…" but she stopped. "Angel! Are you okay? I'm gonna take these guys apa…" but again she stopped.

"I told you I should be the leader, Max!" the chilling not so innocent voice said flatly it was way creepy! "Now it is your time to die the last life-forms from the lab are being exterminated and you will be too," a shiver crawled up my spine that meant me too! "Right?" the voice asked. Then I passed out again, hey I must be getting stronger! That was the longest I have stayed awake for!

My limbs were useless, lying there by my sides. I tried to move my arm, but the strong Velcro that held it there did not budge and I was far from being healthy enough to try to burn the thing.

Tentatively, I opened my eyes just a crack, but was immediately blinded by the florescent light above me. I snapped my eyes closed again and turned my head to the side. Opening my eyes slowly again I looked at an ugly plaster wall and discolored tiles I would recognize anywhere. Only one place in the world that was not the hospital would have floors like that. It was the school!

I grew hopeful. Maybe they didn't capture the flock, maybe Max saved them. Then I had a major reality check: no one could escape all of those robots. But maybe they put me into the same room as the flock! I cast my gaze around hopefully, but no luck. Of course, when have I been that lucky?

One of the most annoying things about captivity is the fact that you can't do anything! You don't even have any one to talk too, heck I'd even talk to Ari. That fuzz ball is more interesting than this, but not by much.

I couldn't even begin to plot my escape because the flock might need my help!

I started listening to the sound around my cell; I heard a voice mumbling about how ungrateful people are when ever she bakes cookies! But that got boring really fast.

I started running threw plans in my head and there outcomes. When I got to about plan L the door opened. The two people from when I went to Anne Walkers house! Anne and what's his face, Jeb? They were fallowed by a little girl.

"Nice coats, new fashion statements?" I asked.

"Phoenix, how are you?"

"Peachy!" I spat.

_Are you going to try to escape?_

_Holly crap! Who are you?_

_Angel!_

_You mean the little evil girl who abandoned the flock?_

_No I am a double agent!_

_Sure!_

_Just don't try to escape right away the flock might need you!_

_Fine but…_

"You have done better than expected," Anne said.

"What?" I asked taken aback.

"You have proven that you are useful," she explained.

"Huh?" I said trying to be as uneducated as possible.

"You are a superior tracker and can survive in difficult environments. You can be usefull to us!" the man said.

"And I should care why?" I asked.

"We may not have to exterminate you after all," said Jeb.

"Whoopee!" I said faking enthusiasm.

"You will have to be questioned and tested," Anne clarified.

"Says you!" I spat.

"We may sell you to a different country," Anne added.

"Do I have any say in where, because I really want to go to Italy!" I said.

"No you have no say you are a weapon," Jeb said.

"That is not a very nice thing to say," I whimpered.

"You are being very dismissive with our offers," Anne said getting impatient.

"You are wasting my valuable time!" I snapped. They turned on their heels and left Angel winked at me right be for passing out of sight.

All that arguing had made me tired so I took a nap.

**Review please!**


	9. Chapter 9: School

**Hi next chapter! Sorry this story is a little long but it is going to speed up very, very soon.**

Chapter 9

I woke up slowly, groggily. Could I have been drugged? I reached up and rubbed my eyes, wait my arms were free and so were my legs. The Velcro had been undone! I bet they thought I would need exercise!

I got up slowly fighting head rush, I tried to think of something to do, but I failed dismally. I started passing from one wall to the other, tirelessly.

I scanned the walls for potential exits and other useful information. My eyes landed on a camera that tracked my movement, striding up to it I smiled examining the wires experimentally I pulled a small red wire, and the red 'on' light blinked off. Happy, I walked away. don't spy on this girl, or next time there won't be any camera left! I started passing again when my sensitive ears picked up angry voices right outside of my door.

I walked over and pressed my ears to the cold metal door and slowly looked out the glass window that was inlayed into the door. Jeb and Angel were talking to someone behind Ari, but I couldn't see… Ari the lap dog blocked way too much of the window. "Max sweetheart," Jeb said Max? Do they know each other? "I'm glad they're letting you get some exercise."

Ari shifted his weight timidly, reveling a very angry Max, or at least I assumed it was her. "So I'll be in really good shape when they kill me?" she asked.

Jeb winced, what a wimp, he is an evil scientist!

"Hi, Max!" Angel said.

Max glared down at her.

"You should really try one of these cookies," that is low, don't bring the cookies into this!

"Thanks, I'll make a note of it. You lying traitor!"

"Max you know I had to do what was right," she said. "You weren't making the best decisions any more."

"Yeah, like the one when I decided to come and rescue your skinny, ungrateful butt," she spat.

"I have lots of special powers," Angel said. "I deserve to be the leader. I deserve to be saved. I'm much, much more special than you or Fang!"

"You just keep telling yourself that," she said coldly. "But don't expect me to get on board."

Her cute little face twisted into an evil and sinister expression. "I don't need you to get on board, Max," her voice steely. "This is all happening whether you're on board or not. You're going to be retired soon, anyway," she chomped down on her cookie viciously; this girl is a really good actor or was she really bad?

"Maybe, but if I am, I'm going to come back and haunt you, every day of your hard traitorous little life," Angels eyes widened and she took a step back.

"Okay, that's enough you two," Jeb intervened.

"Whatever," Max said and left, Ari trotted after her like an obedient little hound. I slowly sank on my cot, could that possibly have been an act? How could Max do that to a flock mate?

The door banged open and a tall blond man walked in as if he owned the place, he certainly felt evil enough to own it! He was fallowed by a scientist clutching a clip board.

"Dis' is her?" he asked in a hilarious accent. "You be Phoenix?"

"Nope!" I lied.

He blinked then his eyes narrowed, I smiled sweetly. "She is another failure just like the others!"

"Now that is not nice, you should be a buddy not a bully!" I said convincingly.

"Do you half' any abilities?" he asked.

"What do you mean, 'abilities'?"

"Inhuman characteristics!" he spat.

"I really don't think so…" I twitched my tail and pointed my ears forward. "Well actually…" I trailed off thinking. "You can't tell anyone okay?"

"Yes, Yes!"

"You can't tell!" he nodded furiously. "Okay… I think I can," I looked around nervously, I took a deep breath. Lowering my voice I whispered, "I think I can fly!"

"Vou are completely incompetent! How did the prototypes we sent after you get burned?"

"Oh that! Well I was flying over an enchanted forest filled with pretty elves and unicorns, when one of the magical fairies warned me that they were coming so…" he was about to interrupt me! "Shhhh! I am telling my story! So I flew to the all-knowing dragon den to ask for its help…"

"Vhat is diss' nonsense?"

"It is the truth!" I insisted.

"You are a disappointment,"

"I am sure your mom says the exact same thing about you!"

"Your end dis near!"

"Sure, sure now go and call your mommy!" he stomped out of the room! M-wa ha ha ha!!!

The next hour was very uneventful, in the end I heard a hissing, they must be pumping knock out gas into my room I tried to hold my breath but it was already too late. My vision blurred and my mussels felt all jell-o-y… I fell to the floor and passed out.

**REVIEW PEASE!!!!!!!**


	10. Chapter 10: Tracking

**Enjoy!!! **

Chapter 10

The floor under me was cold, and I swear I could feel a breeze. Groggily I opened my eyes; I was in a cage, outside, at night. How cliché! Not to mention that my bag was propped against a tree ten feet from me, with a scientist rummaging threw it. A low growl escaped my throat and the scientist scurried away.

Over to my left I heard a faint voice, "You are avake, yah?" It was that fruity scientist with the funny accent!

"Yah," a girl muttered, was that Max? "And you still butthole yeah?" well yeah it is his nature!

I looked over my shoulder, and made out the faint outline of a cage with five shadowy shapes, the flock! I can finally meet them, but will they trust me?

"It's time for you to be eliminated," he said with childlike glee. "You don't cooperate vis de tests, you are useless to us."

"I don't believe this," I heard a voice mumble, you can say that again!

"Believe it," the fruity guy said, wow that is the best you can do? I though you were suposed to be smart! "Tonight ve implement our Re-Evolution Plain! Vhen ve are done, ve vill haf a world of less dan a billion people," Oh my god shut up just kill me! "Each country vill be under our control! Dere vill be no illnesses, no veakness. De new strong, smart population vill save dis planet und take us into de tventy-second century!"

"What if you can't speak proper English, is that weakness? If it is you are gone, gone, and gone!" I whispered.

"Yeah," Max said. "And if you look in the dictionary under 'delusional megalomaniac,' you'll see your picture."

"Nussing you say vill bozzer me. It is time to eliminate you. You haf failed all de tests. You are not useful," he said calmly talking about murder.

"No, but we're dang cute," she spat back.

"Max?" a young voice asked. I looked up to see a mass of scientists approaching to our cages. Why couldn't we be in the same cage? Than I would at least meat Max for once! I spotted Jeb Batchelder and Anne Walker in the crowd of scientists. I shrunk against the back of my cage.

"How can we break out of here?" another young voice asked.

"There's a plan, there's always a plan," she whispered back, wow that sounded really good.

"Children," Batchelder said. "It doesn't have to be this way," he had stopped with Anne by his side ten feet away from the cage that held the flock.

"Great! Let us go," I whispered as my cage started to be encased by scientists.

"Okay, let's have it be different. Let's have it be different. Let us out of the cage!" she spat back venomously. _Thank you!!!_

"Do you know what's really sad?" Anne asked.

"That pin-striped pantsuit?" asked Max. Gosh even I wouldn't wear that, and I was raised in a cage! "Those sensible shoes?"

"We gave you every chance," Anne said. BULL!!!

"No, see, giving us every chance would be opening this cruel and inhuman cage and letting us out. That would be_ every_ chance. This way, you've only given us _some_ chances. You see the difference?" Max ranted.

"Enough! Dis is pointless. Ve're just vaiting for de executioners. Say your good-byes," weirdo science dude said.

"_Good-bye,"_ a sweet little girl's voice said.

All I heard was a thwap, and then a thump. "Angel!" another girl's voice yelled. I knew it was time!

In haling deeply, I gathered up my emotions, all through scientists screamed for robot guards. I spotted a small shape with a metallic object swinging at unfortunate science geeks. "I can't break it!" a deep voice cried.

"But I can!" I whispered.

"But I can!" growled a gravely voice.

"Get back!" commanded Max, I was sprinting. My cage poling behind me, I have to help them! When they are in that cage they are sitting ducks!!!

_NO!!!_ filled my head.

_Ouch, Angel? You really don't have to yell! _I told her in my head.

_Don't attack Ari he is on our side, you need to take care of the robots!_

_Are you kidding my I have worked this heard to find you and you just want me to fly away? No way! I have worked way to hard!!! Any way how will I ever find you again?!!_

_Gazzy,_

_What?_

_Gazzy smells very strongly of gunpowder and gasoline! Memorize his sent, than catch up with up with us later. PS the little dog is mine isn't he cute?_

_Adorable _I said looking over at the talking blur.

_He is called Total, now go!_

Inhaling deeply I memorized the pungent odor. Once I had it I sprang towards the school where a mass of human like forms where coming our way instead of running away.

Skidding to a halt, I looked down. There, at my feet, lay a big, dry branch. I picked it up and felt it smolder in my hands. All the Robots turned my way, and sprang at the exact moment I did, smoldering branch ready to smash some faces. Smack! One went down, followed quickly by two others, all three were smoking. The sick crack and grating of metal on metal rang threw my pretend battlefield.

I felt a hand rap around my neck, swiftly I twisted branch whipping after me hitting so hard its head snapped off. Glancing over my shoulder I aimed a kick and smashed my foot into a metal ribcage. The robots started back for reinforcements and I sprinted towards the melted shell of my once cage.

Snagging my backpack I leapt skywards. On instinct I started forming a map in my mind painted by the sights and smells around me. They were north. There was a wolfie musk in the air around it too, Ari must have come with them. The smell of gunpowder was stronger than ever, what had they done?

BOOM!!! The colossal tower of fire, smoke and rubble shot up into the sky right in front of me. "Pyromaniacs!" I hissed after the shock wave had hit me, and I had regained my balance.

BOOM!!! A second explosion fired off near where the first one had ignited. The second shock wave was almost as powerful as the first. Knocking the air from my lungs, gasping I started after the Flock.

I didn't get very far because, I flew straight into a solid brick wall of exhaustion. I almost fell right out of the sky! I dropped onto a forest floor dusted with a thin coat of snow, I felt weird like the cold physically hurt. Dismayed by the fact that I couldn't build I fire, I curled into a protective ball and shivered the night away.

I woke to a sun directly over my head, how long had I slept? Luckily the smell of gunpowder still riddled the air. I took a running start eager to get into the comfort of the sky.

Through out the day they traveled almost directly north, they made one distinct change of coarse but by that time I decided that tomorrow is when I would finally introduce myself. I dropped in front of a snowy cave; again I felt that weird exhaustion I associated with the cold. I heated a few rocks in my hands and created a perimeter of heat for myself.

The soothing effects of the heat lulled me to sleep. I would have thought I would have been too jittery to sleep, but apparently I was wrong.

That morning it was like I drank mass amounts of coffee, about a gallon of it! I sprinted out of the cave faster than I have ever run in my life! I shot threw the sky, but the gunpowder scent was headed west, how curious.

The scent of explosives littered the air becoming more and more pungent. I glided over the clouds scanning the horizon for any thing that could be a person, but you know, with wings.

The sun was setting when I saw them; three dark shapes, only three? There are supposed to be six and the wolf mutt, and Total. The shapes were not alone in the sky apart from my self an ambush was stationed in the shadow of a cloud. They were hidden in their blind spot directly above them! They'll get killed, or taken back!

There was no way I could warn them, I made a snap decision and dived so steeply it was almost straight down. The only thing I added heat to was my claws; I hoped that it would conserve energy. I dropped right past a robot extending a claw I easily ripped its make shift throat out.

I dropped right past the half flock and only had time to manage a quick, "hi!" before I had fallen past them.

**I hope you liked it, it gets better from here on… I think. Review**


	11. Chapter 11: Finally Found

**Okay you might need to reread the end of Chapter 10!**

**Chapter 11**

I eased out of the dive and shot back up towards the nineteen robots that remained. The three boys had started after them as well, throwing explosives and aiming vicious kicks.

A growl ripped up my throat as I collided with the nearest droid, my claws ripping its thin skin and into the wires that lay underneath.

A cold fist slammed into my forearm, immediately I heard a sickening crack. The pain that fallowed was just as immediate. My claws raked threw its neck, separating it from its head. I heard a squeaky joint, twirling I darted to the side but it was to late, its foot had already collided between my wing joints. Gasping, I shakily beat my wings twice to get above it only to see him engulfed in flame; someone had thrown a bomb.

I looked around and saw the last robot fall, smoldering to the ground. My eyes traveled up and saw the three flock members gliding my way. Oh crap, what am I supposed to say? _Hi, I have been tracking you! Where is Max?_ I shook my head and, clutching my arm tenderly, prepared my self for the accusations that were about to come.

"What is she?" the tall blond one asked the littlest of the group.

"I don't know, some new experiment," the littlest answered.

"Who are you?" the dark one asked, taking charge.

"My name is Phoenix," I admitted.

"Why are you here?" he demanded.

"I felt as if… well, as if I needed a goal. I thought I could help; I might be able to anyway. Angel told me to fallow the sent of explosives so after I distracted the robots I did, and I found you," I explained slowly.

"Angel?" he asked aghast, I nodded.

My arm hurt terribly and my back throbbed, I winced clutching my arm.

"Why did you think you could help us?" the tall blond one asked, as the dark one watched me carefully.

"Well I stole these documents a wile ago and they have some useful information that you might have needed. Actually I was planning on giving them to Max. Where is she?"

"Gone, off to save the world," the dark one spat, a little too quickly.

"Oh… this would be easier if I knew you names," I said.

"Fang," the dark one said.

"Iggy," the blond one said.

"Gazzy," the little one said.

"How do we know you aren't on the schools side?" Fang asked.

"It's not like I saved you from an ambush or anything… oh wait!" I said faking shock.

"That could have been to just a set up to gain our trust," he retorted.

"I got my arm broken and my back all messed up during the fight,"

"You could be faking,"

"True, well I have these," I pulled out the stolen documents, which miraculously I still had, and handed them to him.

"They could be lies," Iggy put in.

"Okay… if I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. That's not to be reassuring but…"

"Why do you say that?" Gazzy asked. I light my finger tips on fire, and gave him a look.

"What happened?" Iggy asked.

"I control fire," I murmured.

"Shut up, Gazzy. What if you were looking for Max?" Fang suggested.

"I already told you I was, but not to kill her, just to help!"

"I wish Angel was here!" Iggy breathed, Iggy nodded.

"Well if you are trying to save the world go find Max," Fang hissed wincing on the last word.

"I can't the trail is cold and I don't know what to look for,"

"Huh?" Iggy asked.

"I have fox DNA so I can track really well," I said, and then yawned drowsily. "Anyway, where are you going if Max is elsewhere?"

"We're telling the world about us!" Gazzy spluttered.

"Shut up!" Fang hissed.

I raised my eyebrows, "Ari right?" I asked, they all looked at me surprised. "I may have been raised in a cage, but I am not stupid! I could smell him for mils! I know he left with you guys, but I can't believe he separated you guys! I would have done the same thing though, he is so annoying!" I added.

"She was wrong!" Fang exclaimed, my eyes scrutinized his face. It was tortured. "She trusted that dog! That blood thirsty killer! She put us in danger, she trusted him over us! HIM! Of all the people she could have trusted why did it have to be him?" his gaze met mine.

"The sun is getting really low," Gazzy said changing the topic.

"I don't want to intrude, well… bye," I turned ready to go.

"No, I don't want you going back and reporting to the school what you have found out!" Fang commanded.

"Um… okay," I said hesitantly.

Fang led the way into the forest beneath us, I fallowed cautiously. I landed under a tree and listened intently; A twig snapped and I heard sum snuffling. I pointed with my good arm. "There are some rabbits over there," Fang looked at me, and then stalked off.

"I can barley hear them how did you?" Iggy asked, Gazzy hovering behind him.

"I do have huge cat ears, they occasionally come in handy," I said. "Why do you think only you could have heard them?"

"I am blind," he said.

"What?" I asked aghast.

"Yup, I have the best hearing of all the flock," he said.

"Congratulations," I said while I slowly inspected my arm. It throbbed painfully, wincing I drew in my breath.

"Are you okay?" Iggy asked.

"I think my arm is broken," I admitted slightly ashamed, how could I have been so careless?

"Let me look at it," he demanded.

"Fine," I mumbled, holding out my arm.

Iggy and Gazzy walked up next to me. When Iggy touched my arm he recoiled. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

"Apart from being kicked in the back and having a broken arm, fine," I said confused.

"Your skin, you must be running a temperature of at least a hundred five!"

"Really?" I asked.

Fang came back with some small rabbits. "Hey, Iggy can you get a fire going?" he asked.

"Yeah, give me a sec," he replied.

"Need help?" I asked.

"Nah we got this," he insisted, than unexpectedly snapped my bone back into place.

"Ouch," I exclaimed.

"I'll splint it later," he said.

I leaned against the tree's trunk, keeping my broken arm limp by my side. Sighing deeply I looked up into the sky and contemplated if Fang, Iggy, or Gazzy would ever trust me.

Slowly the air filled with the smell of roasting rabbit. "How do you do it?" an unexpected voice asked.

I jumped surprised. "What?" I asked looking at Gazzy.

"Summon fire," he explained.

I got up from the ground and sat next to the fire. "It is complicated, I don't know if I can explain," I extended my pointer finger into the fire and when I drew it back a small ball of flam danced on its tip. "Usually I just use emotion, mainly anger, and it just kind of happens. I mean I can control the temperature and it reacts to my command, it is like a part of me. It is just natural," I watched the fire dance over my finger.

"How did you figure it out?" Iggy asked.

"My only friend .... I had fallen asleep, and when I woke up… he was dead. I was so angry, I wanted vengeance. My cage melted, and it just came naturally, as I said before," I explained. "So I eventually found something on you guys and started tracking you."

"Where did you go?"

"I went to Anne Walker; the documents I gave Fang mentioned you being there. And it just went from there,"

I started going over the other details of me finding them. The story took up most of the night and by the end I was exhausted.

**I am guessing it is not that easy to set a broken arm, but I really wouldn't know. Anyway hope you liked it!!! Please review!!! Also I need a weakness for Phoenix, I was thinking that she has a supper low cold tolerance but I am open to options. P.S. I will not be posting until I have over 30 Reviews. (Even if they are all from the same person XP)**


	12. Chapter 12: Playing with Fire

**Hi, thanks to the few who have reviewed Belle95 and destinywriter99! It means a lot! I lied about the 30 thing and I couldn't wait it out, well here you go.**

**Chapter 12 Playing with Fire**

The restless night was filled with ominous vivid pictures that haunted my dreams. I could see glowing eyes behind a smoky veil I tried to sweep it aside but it only grew thicker and the eyes more numerous. Joining the eyes, flashes of my past disturbed me. In the dream, I looked around franticly but all I saw was smoke, eyes and my own past…

I woke with a jump, in the night my arm had been splinted. I was confused, they thought I was their adversary, but they still help me and are kind. Why? This was the first time anyone had ever been deliberately considerate to me.

I thought of taking a flight to clear my head but they would attack me thinking I am trying to run…

Sighing deeply I held my head in my hands. "How is your arm?" a voice asked.

I shrugged, not really feeling that social. "Fine I guess, but I am confused," I admitted.

"About what?" Iggy asked.

I looked up, "Where is Max?" I demanded.

"Oh… well Max had to be Max and save Ari…"

I cut him off, "Why?"

"They are siblings, and Max wanted to save him. Anyway Fang disagreed, Ari almost killed him a wile back, and that is not something that you can forgive. He puts on a tough face but it hurt him. It hurt all of us. You see, Fang swore to Max if Ari didn't go he would. Max is Max so she couldn't do that to him, so the flock took sides and went their separate ways,"

"I agree with you, Ari has tried to kill you that can't be forgiven easily, but he is pathetic. I see Maxes point of view, if she made him leave it is like signing his death sentence."

"Yeah, I think it is a good thing you showed up," he said unexpectedly.

"Why?" I asked taken a back.

"I'm guessing because you might be here to kill us, he is not thinking about Max," he explained.

"Well, glad to be of service," I muttered. My eyes drifted around the thick trees that surrounded me, casting a dark shroud around me. Almost as dark as the shadows was Fang. An unusual emotion welled inside of me, pity? Yes that must be it, but why? He hadn't done any thing kind to me, but he hadn't been all that mean ether. It made me wonder what he was thinking. "I feel bad for him," I whispered knowing only Iggy would hear me.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I would say, 'I see' but I don't."

I snickered, amused. "Well you guys are a lot more talkative than who I used to hang out with," I sighed.

"Who, Erasers, white coats?" he asked.

"Well yes, but I was talking about Carlitõ," I said.

"Who is Carlitõ?" he asked incredulously.

"A cow, he talked more than you would think though…" I trailed off.

"You're kidding!" he insisted.

"I wish!" I persisted. "Well he really only mooed, but they were very opinionated moo's," I added.

"Iggy, we should go soon!" Fang called over, Iggy nodded compliantly.

"Where are you dragging me off to?" I asked as I got up and stretched.

"West," he said.

I sighed, and realized that Gazzy's little outburst about how they were telling the world was all the information I would be getting. I would have to fallow blindly, like a dog, to where ever it was that they were headed and have no say in how stupid they were being or how completely idiotic their ideas are. Not to mention, if I tried to go my own way they would probably kill me!

I knew that they could, I may be great against robots that burned but truthfully I am guessing that they have had a bit more practice than I. Also no mater how long I sleep I run out of energy so quickly that they would win no problem. I flicked my tail irritated.

"Ready?" Fang asked. The others nodded and we fallowed Fang into the sky.

Even if I was domed to follow to where ever 'west' was… regardless, the freedom of flying made my spirits rise. Obediently I trailed behind the guys; all the way I tried to think of how I could gain their trust. Bribery? Food? Saving their lives? Time? I groaned at the last idea, patience is not my strong suite.

We were flying with the wind; it carried intriguing scents with it. I inhaled. A rusty, mechanical, oily smelly was mixed in with the oxygen and fresh air. Instinctively I flipped around, _oh._

I sped up and brushed Gazzy's wing, he was closest. He turned, wordlessly I pointed over my shoulder. He looked, "Crap! Fang we've got company!"

He turned and paled. "Fly!" he commanded.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I mumbled. I looked over my shoulder, they were flying much to close their wings were scraping against each other…

I started laughing at the schools ignorance!

Tilting my wings I turned and dived laughing all the way, jubilant. There were only a little less than one hundred fifty! The tips of my fingers ignited, the fire crawled up my arms as if they welcomed the blaze.

Steepening the dive I contorted my wings so that the air currents around me twisted, sending me into wild rotations. Without slowing I slammed into the mob.

They burst into flames immediately. Twisting my self I kicked all the closest robots that weren't already ablaze.

The fire spread hungrily, the smoky air clouded my eyes but didn't bother my lungs. It seemed that fire and all of its aspects are compatible with my system.

From behind me I heard a voice ask, "Where did Phoenix go?" I started laughing, who ever said that when you play with fire you get burned?

The hallow roar of the blaze grew louder. Pumping my wings I road the hot air currents out of the smoke cloud and shot after stragglers. There were surprisingly few, which made my job pleasantly easy.

After a few kicks to metal craniums I glided back to where the smoke cloud lingered in the sky. Standing beneath it were the guys, slightly dumbstruck.

I dropped down next to them, they turned and stared at me, "What?" I asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Fang asked.

"You just took out like one hundred fifty flyboys!!!" Gazzy announced.

"So? Any way I think it was a little less that one hundred fifty," I replied feeling drowsy.

"How can you brush something like that off?" Iggy asked.

"They burn so I kill them," I stifled threw a yawn.

"Using that logic you could kill anything!" Iggy interjected.

"Unh…" I shrugged tardily.

I heard a slight whistling, and then I was splattered with dirt. A hunk of twitching, smoldering robot landed next to me. Turning I stared at it. "Huh," I murmured.

Sluggishly an idea came to me. I blinked, if I could create fire and use energy to do so, could I destroy it and gather energy from it?

Slowly I walked over to the molten mass and bent down scrutinizing it. I placed my hand on the hunk and breathed slowly calmly, the opposite of anger.

It started at the edges; they turned from a pool to a chunk. I felt the energy being returned to my system. "Hum…" I sighed, enjoying the sensation.

But after I felt no different the amount of energy it took to melt a flyboy was insignificant, to say the least.

I heard the 'Pop' of a forest fire, just what I needed.

"Hay, guys, give me a minuet, okay? Then we can head out," I informed them. Before they could reply I sprang into the air headed towards the growing blaze.

After the feast of fire I meet with the group in the air and fallowed Fang, Gazzy and Iggy.

A thought crossed my mind; did this make them trust me?

**Thanks for reading REVIEW!!! Sorry about the whole blind guy seeing thing but I fixed it!!!**


	13. Chapter 13: Aftershock

**Chapter 13 Aftershock **

**Hey, sorry it's been forever since I last posted so here you are!!!**

**PS this is a fast moving chapter so hold on tight and read S-L-O-W!!! ******

"Didn't you mention that you followed us for a while? How long is a while?" Iggy called.

"Well, the first time I'd ever come close to meeting you was at Anne Walkers house. That's also where I first met Ari, and I tracked you from there which lead to…" I coughed twice trying to get the remnants of the oddly sour soot from the fight out of my mouth.

"Florida, did you see your fear?" he cut me off.

"Oh, that…" I shuddered at the memories, "yes… What did you well not 'see' but fear?"

"To be useless, I felt as if I was dragging everyone down. I was the blind guy, just the blind guy…" he trailed off. "And you?"

"Needles, I know it sounds childish but I associate them with pain. Also that's why it's so childish I was a child when I realized when needles came it was shortly followed by pain. Anyway it is rooted so deep in my mind I don't know if I will ever get it out," I confessed.

"Understood,"

"When are we leaving?" I asked, snatching for a new topic.

"Now," Fang called.

In the air I fallowed, lagging behind a little. "Where are you dragging me off too?" I asked and edge of concern in my voice.

"We're heading south west, that's all you need to know," Fang yelled.

"She can know, we can trust her can't we?" Iggy said.

"That's the thing I'm not sure…" Fang said.

"Your being paranoid, Fang," Gazzy called.

"Fine, LA we are going to LA," he admitted.

"Okay…" I murmured, LA? Why LA? The day was very overcast, and it drizzled a fine mist. The lack of sun made the flight uncomfortable.

"Iggy, do you trust me yet?" I asked out of the blue.

"Well Fang…"

"No, do _you_ trust me?" I repeated. But before he could answer I cut him off again. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"How can you not? It's so loud!" I clamped my hands over my ears the high pitched noise boring into my head like a drill.

"Phoenix?" he asked, concerned.

"Get out, get out!" I muttered. The sounds effects spread like poison threw my system. My already stiff wings resisted all movement; I dropped a few feet. A small trickle of blood ran from my ears, and mated in with my hair. I dropped another ten feet. Shaking my head I tried to clear the noise. My wings felt like lead!

I recognized these symptoms, a drug they made me take at school. But you had to inhale it, and it was oddly sour… the word jumpstarted my brain. The sour taste from the smoke, it was the flyboys! And Fang Gazzy and Iggy didn't feel them because they were not in the fight they released the drug when the skin burned, but the School would think that the guys would want to be in the fight and use bombs then they would be drugged too!

"They drugged me!!!" I yelled! "Those flyboys were," I shook my head trying to clear it, "lased with a drug!"

"How do you know?" someone asked I couldn't tell who.

"Tested it on me in School…"

The ground was growing dangerously close, and worse still it was an open field! The blood cracked, and my wings froze and I fell twenty more feet then again the last fifteen to ground. I landed in a tangle and blacked out instantly.

**Review! Thanks for reading hope you liked it!!!**


	14. Chapter 14: Remenbering

**Chapter 14: Remembering**

**This is a weird one!!! It is what she see's in result of the drug!!!**

It was like I was reliving parts of my life, form someone else's point of view, I watched my self as if from the sidelines unable to change any of it, just memories. I had to watch myself take on hell and all I could do was know it was the past, and I would escape sooner or later.

The first flashback was about three years ago, by my reckoning. I watched as my own frame was crumpled on the floor of the cage that I wasted away in for so long. A door opened next to where I stood in the recollection. Two scientists came into the room, one was painfully recognizable. He was short, mean, and eventually only had nine fingers thanks to MOI!!!

"Well here she is. Project #4, she has taken to calling herself Phoenix." He informed the other scientist, who I believe was named Jeb. "We've tested her physical capabilities, but her mental capacity is still unknown. That is where you come in Jeb, she is why we called you from you're," he cleared his throat, "extended vacation,"

"What do you know about so far, in the physical sense?" Jeb asked.

"Well, strong, capable of flight, enhanced hearing, eyesight, and her agility is enhanced. She has developed a bit of rambunctiousness, and a disregard for authority,"

"That is only expected," Jeb pondered. "But do you think her DNA is stable?"

"Stable enough…" he said trailing off, _great…_

"I think we should branch into other ratios of bird to fox to cat to human DNA," Jeb said. "Any way I'll start work on her mental capacity…" the memory swirled and was swallowed by darkness.

The next scene was me sprinting through a complex maze with barking, snarling Erasers after me to see how I handled stress: FYI not to well.

Once one tackled me, (remember, I'm watching all of this as if I am an onlooker how weird!) I bit it so hard my serrated teeth dug deep into its flesh, and blood pored out of the open wound. Quickly I scrambled up and ran past the present me (this is weird) to the exit, then the memory swirled and was swallowed.

This time I had no idea how I saw this because I was unconscious and being loaded onto a big truck filled with Erasers, Erasers with big guns! Was I that unpredictable? I didn't find out because the scene swirled.

This time she/I was on a treadmill but as the seine focused, the past me used her/my momentum and tackled the person behind her/me with the electric stick thingy. She/I grabbed to stick and clubbed five scientists before they could sedate her/me. (I hate dreams!!!)

It was obvious they were loosing control of her/me.

I learned how to kick out my cage door and they upped the security. In those run or be eaten mazes with the Erasers I used it like combat practice and tracked, and hunted the hunters. I learned from every fight, as I watched my self grow more rebellious, I also grew more valiant. I taught my self kicks that might have names in the outside world I didn't know, but if you kicked an Eraser with it, the eraser got hurt and I didn't die.

They even set me against some Erasers with retro-fitted wings at first I was intimidated, but so say it lightly they weren't attached all that well. If you kick them at an angle the stitches loosen and can pull off, but I was out of practice with areal combat.

Once they carted me past a house full of flyboys, looking like dead Erasers hanging grotesquely on hooks.

Thousands of Eraser expiration dates appeared but for some reason my DNA held fast. On one occasion, one died whale transporting me from point A to point B and I almost escaped, almost!

One of the scene shifts showed myself as a six year old just after being burned purposefully, the burn looked days old. Not near the rawness of a fresh burn, so fire has always been my friend.

On this journey through my mind I saw many failures of experiments carted off to the dissection room. The whole thing was like watching my life in a home video the information they forced me to swallow, the excruciating tests…

With a jolt I sat up and immediately felt contact with the low ceiling of the cave I was in. I groaned feeling like one big bruise. I looked at my arms, they not only felt like a big bruise they were covered with black and blue splotches. Getting up more slowly, I headed out in to the sunlight and looked up; immediately I spotted 3 dark flying figures in the sky.

"LA here I come," I sighed and leaped to go join my winged comrades.

**Hope you like it I know it was weird, REVIEW!!!**


	15. Chapter 15: Los Angles

**Chapter 15: Los Angels**

**Hey next chapter, enjoy!**

"So, if you are going to the beach I think I'll keep watch from a buildings roof, okay? I really don't fit in on a beach, or, well, any where populated now that I think about it," I explained.

"Stay close, just incase it all goes wrong," Fang warned as we landed just on the out skirts of the city. I nodded and started towards a tall metal skeleton on the coast, and they headed directly to the beach.

Oh, how I hate people, they crowd like insects, swarming to take over the earth. And if that wasn't bad enough they don't even know what personal space is! No respect for boundaries! Roaches, thats what they are! Blending in was hard enough, my deep red hair, alabaster skin, feline eyes and petit figure stand out from a distance and that is not including what I was hiding.

Quietly I slipped into a dark alley keeping my inhuman eyes averted, knowing they would attract attention no mater how dark the irises were. I could smell salt on the air, the ocean was obviously close. I may hate water, and swimming but I did find it peaceful. I needed to focus, find the skeleton building. It towered over the dilapidated houses that surrounded it.

I prepared to jump and clime my way when someone's slurred voice shouted, "Hey girly, where you going?"

I turned and scanned the surrounding area, a group of drunken idiots staggered towards me. I turned to walk away and find a knew way up, but one grabbed my wrist. "Let go, now!" I hissed venomously. He didn't actually he tightened his grip and placed his other hand on my shoulder. Turning fast I wept my leg around and knocked his legs out from under him, he fell hard.

I turned and ran around the opposite building to the foot of the metal monster, grabbing a ledge I started working my way up to the top as the fools still tried to figure out what just happened. Even when I reached to top they still meandered around the base of the building.

I took off my inconspicuous cloths and stuffed them in my backpack. Leaning against a Metal pole I watched the sun sparkle on the ocean. The lapping of the waves and the shouts of humans was joined by a buzzing. A very metallic buzzing that struck a cold note in my chest.

"Flyboys…" I murmured. Dropping off of my perch I soared full speed towards the beach. It took me two fundamental seconds to locate the guys. "Guys, guys!!! Flyboys, get in the air!!!" I screamed at them.

"What is that sound?" Gazzy asked.

"It's me you FLIPING RETARD!!! GET IN THE AIR!!! GET IN THE AIR, NOW! FLYBOYS, FLYBOYS!!!" I yelled.

"Up and away!" Fang commanded. "It's Flyboys. _They've found us!"_

"DUH!" I screeched. "NOW HURRY!!!"

"Their faster now! Fly or die," I yelled, as we zipped into the sky.

Two hundred of them were closing in fast, remembering the last incident I avoided burning them. Their were way too many and in a populated area. "Fallow me!" Fang called and shot towards the HOLLYWOOD sign. I followed closely mimicking his every move, dreading what he would do.

I swore he was going to hit it, personally I ignited for a second and burned threw the 'O' rocketing upward. We should have left an IOU, but we had to disappear.

We landed near my skeletal building, the drunken guys were gone, out of habit I threw on my coat and hat.

"Fang, blogging again?" Gazzy asked, Fang nodded.

"Don't mention me or my name, please,"

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't want scientists knowing anything more about me, especially where I might be!"

He shrugged and went back to typing.

I was exhausted, so tiered from climbing a building and flying for my life. I stumbled, Iggy caught my shoulder. _How does he do that stuff? He is blind!!!_

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah just really tired," I explained.

Fang stood up, "Okay, lets find a place for the night."

"Why are you on ghost turf?" a voice asked.

I spun fast on my heal, four people with what looked like guns and knives surrounded us, instinctively I secured my hat and pointed my eyes down.

"Who are you?" Fang asked.

"We were going to ask the same question, you are in our gang the ghost's territory, why?" one asked. "We over heard you names so don't lie."

"I'm Fang, these are my brothers Iggy and Gazzy, and our ally Phoenix," He said pointing, I kept my eyes down

"We don't want trouble," Iggy said.

"Wait, your those winged kids! I read your blog, but I don't know who you are," he said looking at me. "Do you have wings too?"

"Maybe a little…" I muttered.

"And more," Iggy coughed.

"Well, I'm Keez, we're a local street gang, the ghosts," he held out a hand to each guy and myself witch I took tentatively.

Keez lead us to a tall building on the way in we attracted some looks. they must not get guests too often…

Keez herded us into our own little room, how nice...

"Stay here," he demanded and left. I didn't trust him, not in the least! I surveyed our room, it had a beat up couch, one window, and a lot of empty floor.

"So, this is our safe house," I murmured when Keez had gone.

**Hope you liked it, Review!!!**


	16. Chapter 16: Conversaition

**Chapter 16: Conversation **

**Hey, this chapter mainly leads into the next**

"People Magazine?" I scoffed.

"This is your plan?" Iggy's voice held disbelief.

"Okay, if you are serious I'm not going in. I'll go to the building but not in it. This plan has too many variables," I said. Fang nodded, this was his fight not mine.

"Hey Iggy, can you fix my laptop? The fan burnt out again," Iggy nodded at Fang. Fang, obviously exhausted, collapsed on the couch and Gazzy followed suit on the floor. Both were asleep in minuets, as Iggy worked on the computer.

"Aren't you going to sleep, too?" Iggy asked me.

"No I'm not tired at all, which for me is weird…" I trailed off. "How long have you been blind?" I asked making small talk.

"Almost as long as I can remember, I suppose. _They_ tried to enhance my night vision, It didn't work. When did you break out?" he asked.

"Not even a year. I escaped when I was fifteen and I'm fifteen now…"

"You fly really well for someone, or so I've gathered, for someone who only recently escaped," he commented.

"I had experience," he 'looked' at me. "Well, they shoved me into wind tunnels. They calculated top speed and aerodynamics and other crap like that. Anyway it didn't matter the night I escaped I blew their numbers out of the water!" I added smugly.

"What do you mean, and what color is this wire?" he asked.

"It's red. What I mean is on my first night out, I only just learned about my fire but I figured out how to use it like a rocket engine or something. When ever I do use it that way I almost pass out in mid air. It tires me so quickly. But if I ever need a conspicuous way out, I know I have it in my arsenal," I clarified.

"That was smart for-"

"For someone who has never been to school but grew up in School?" I finished for him.

"That is not what I meant,"

"Yeah, but it is true. I feel so uneducated!"

"Anyway it was smart, hold this," he commanded handing me a string of wires, I obliged.

"Geeze how do you stand this kind of electrical stuff?" I asked incredulously.

"It is natural to me like fire to you, or something poetic like that. When you passed out because of that drug, what exactly, happened?" he asked curiosity over welling him.

"Oh, that... I suppose you could say I relived the more painful part of my past," I said. He raised his eyebrows.

"At first I thought you had a brain attack like Max did," he said.

"Brain attack?" I asked slightly afraid of what he would say next.

"Yeah she has this voice in her head," I made a skeptic face, "that tells us what to do like where to go," he said.

"No, I just watched my life. It was like it was a movie, I couldn't do any thing. It was really weird. Like I when I saw my self having all that information shoved down my throat when they tested my 'mental campsites,' Jeb led those tests…"

"What!?!" he cut me off incredulously.

"Yeah, about three years ago he showed up to run my tests, why are you 'looking' at me like that?"

"Jeb disappeared from out house and we all thought he was dead three years ago… Was he in contact with the School the whole time?" he demanded.

"First off, shh, they are sleeping. And secondly that's what it seemed like," I admitted.

"That is why he left us! That bastard," he whispered. "We thought he was on our side, but he was with them the whole time. All those times he taught us he was probably assessing our capabilities!" he said outraged.

"That may have been how it started, but I think he did care for you," I said pitifully.

"You are just saying that,"

"You're right I am just saying that, but it might be true," I said calmingly. "That wire is blue," my hat itched I took it off with most of the rest of my costume. Angrily Iggy ruffled his feathers. "He did mention the flock occasionally when he thought no one was listening, but I have good hearing. He missed you, and I'm not just saying that!"

He looked over and smiled. "What color are these wires?" he asked me.

"White," I said through a smile.

**Fun little happy chapter! ******

**REIVEW!!!**


	17. Chapter 17: People Magazine

**Chapter 17: People Magazine **

**Well here's Fang's plan from the point of view of someone who was outside the building at the time. I think it is a different reading experience, wow biblical!**

I spotted an inconspicuous bench outside the sky scraper with this amazing magazine's logo plastered on its top. I sat down and watched the ignoramuses I hang out with try to convince the very intimidating guards to let them into the very swanky building. They had opted to pose as delivery boys. I pondered how long until they would be kicked out… I give them thirty minuets tops.

Curious, I swiveled my ears on their ball joints under my fedora, dying to know what they say. With my acute hearing I heard a muffled 'ding' and a thump; I assumed they had fallen out of the extremely fast elevator.

"Can I help you?" an unclear voice asked, even under my hat I could hear the disdain.

"I need to speak to your top reporter," Fang said. Okay the direct approach I suppose it could work. "I have a story with world wide implications. You print what I tell you and this magazine will go down in history," A little vague, don't you think?

The answering voice was unimpressed. "Do you have an appointment? With anyone?" they asked, obviously board out of their mind.

Duh! Of coarse not! They didn't think what would happen if they didn't care. "I just need to speed to someone, right now," Fang urged. Unless Gazzy suddenly inherited his sister's psychic ability, I don't think they we're getting the meeting…

"I don't think so," they replied in a snide tone.

"If they find out you didn't let me talk to someone, you will get canned so fast you'll feel like tuna!" Who talks like that? This was going badly, and they were getting desperate…

I heard a faint 'click' and an incomprehensible whisper, followed by fast foot steps… What was going on? Soon big heavy footsteps joined the light fast one's, these fast perplexing noises grew closer and louder.

"Okay, about to reach the bottom! Eight more steps, then hard left!" I heard Fang say, so close it sounded like he was next to my head.

"Got 'cha," I heard Iggy say.

I looked over, eight burly security guards stood in front of the door, crap. I saw Gazzy take a running leap and try to jump over the tallest guard; He almost made it, almost. I got up and leisurely made my way over.

"We're leaving!" Fang growled through his teeth, but a guard had already picked him up and flung him out the polished glass door.

"You don't weigh nothing!" he said in surprise. By this time I was standing next to the doors.

"So…Did you get the interview?" I asked cheerfully.

"Are you with them?" A guard asked me in a condescending voice.

"I'm honestly not so sure, sometimes, like this one, it is just to embarrassing to admit it…" I said jokingly as Iggy landed at my feet. "Of course I am! Umph!" I was knocked backwards as a very airborne and overly cheerful, was thrown into me.

"Excuse me, Ms." Gazzy said in a mocking tone, after disentangling himself from me, Iggy laughed uncontrollably.

"Watch where you throw your clients!" I called to the security guards, through a grin thoroughly enjoying myself.

"She could have been an important politician, you never know," Iggy teased.

I stood up and straightened my fedora and pulled Gazzy to his feet.

"Can we eat those sandwiches?" Gazzy begged Fang. Grudgingly, Fang handed them over.

**Fun chapter right? I am really exited for chapter 18! Just FYI… keep reading! ;D and of coarse review!!!**


	18. Chapter 18: Ambushed

**Chapter 18: Ambushed **

**I really like this chapter please enjoy!!!**

"No go, eh?" Keez asked, sharpening a switch blade absent mindedly.

"Nope," I muttered and sat down cross legged.

"You shouda whooshed out those wings, man," he said. "I saw you guys on the news once. You got them wicked wings, right? That woulda done it for sure!"

"Uh, I didn't want to resort to cheap tricks," Fang muttered. Meaning he didn't think of it, they were so used to hiding it didn't even cross his mind. It probably would have worked like a charm.

What plan were we on? Plan… Q?

"You said you have wings too, right?" Keez asked turning to me.

"Oh, you remembered that," I muttered.

"Well, yeah! When someone tells you they have wings, you don't really forget," he said.

I nervously ran my hand through my hair; I don't like talking to humans. They reject us even though it was them who created us. For the first time I looked strait into his eyes.

"Oh… How…?" he asked.

Suddenly all of my inhuman aspects seemed to register in his mind. My eyes, the claws, how my hair is actually rather feathery, and of coarse the wings, but he hasn't seen those yet.

"Hey, got any thing to eat?" Gazzy asked, breaking the awkward tension.

"Sure, this way," Keez lead the way out the front door, occasionally glancing back at me. He wasn't afraid; I think it was just curiosity.

"The plan is hot dogs?" Gasman asked, shoving a second hot dog down his throat. "I like this plan!" He announced to the street.

Fang's head glanced surreptitiously around checking every little corner. Obviously nothing threatening was here because he turned back to Gasman.

"The plan is not hot dogs," He said. "We are just killing time till the real plan falls into place." I didn't think that there was a real plan yet honestly, but Fang was our leader of our pathetically small flock. According to his logic leaders always had to look confidant, I assumed Max had taught him that.

"All right, my man," Keez said to the hot dog vender, and they shook hands. I wonder if Keez had just been given about a dozen hot dogs in return for the vender's safety on this particular street. Well, what ever worked.

Iggy was halfway through his fourth hot dog when he and I suddenly froze in unison. Fang watched Iggy's face alertly.

"What"?" Fang asked.

"Crud," Iggy said, throwing down his hot dog, my wings were alredy out. "Flyboys!"

"And a heck of a lot of them!" I said.

"you guys scatter!" Fang commanded Keez. "We've got trouble, but they are only after us!"

"How do they keep finding us?" the Gasman wailed, looking at me.

"No it is not me I swear it!" I told him.

"We'll stay!" Keez said, pulling out his cell phone.

"You have experience fighting evil robots?" I asked him, he looked at me.

"No, man you don't under-" but Fang was cut off. His voice was drowned out by the telltale buzzing of flyboys.

There were about eighty of them, they swarmed over the roofs sounding like a huge flock of pissed off bumble bees.

"What the heck is that?" Keez said, staring up into the sky. Already Ghosts were pouring out of the many buildings.

"Robots," Fang said tersely, and unfolded his dark wings. "You guys should split," Fang said in his macho voice.

"Holy mother," ran through the crowd of Ghosts.

"We're staying," said Keez, and he pulled out his switch blade. He waved his arms at his troops, yelling over the increased noise, which was beginning to hurt my ears. "Fan out!"

"Eighty Flyboys- coming from then o'clock," Fang whispered to Iggy. He nodded and he snapped out his wings fallowed closely by Gazzy. There were more indrawn breaths. It's like they haven't ever seen kids with wings! "On the ground, the Ghosts can help. We'll do what we can from the air."

Iggy nodded, and then Keez said, "Here!" and pressed a long crowbar into Iggy's hands. Iggy grinned and launched himself towards the horde of flyboys. One of his wings brushed a Ghost on the down stroke. "Here," Keez said and offered a crow bar to me. I took it as soon as it touched my skin it started to grow white hot.

"They are metal based, covered with skin. Knifes won't do squat. Pipes and baseball bast would be better," Fang said hurriedly.

"Bats we got," he said handing Fang one. Just at that moment a flyboy dived straight for our little group. I held the crowbar tightly and leaped ten feet in the air and pumped my wings once. I swung my new toy as hard as I could into the side of his robotic neck. Then again I hit him on the back of its neck with as much force as I could muster.

The hot metal sliced threw the flammable skin into the mess of wires. Pulling the crowbar our as fast as I could I landed back on the ground. "Weapon of choice," I muttered experimentally swinging the crowbar.

"Ready?" I asked Fang.

He nodded and we jumped towards the sky. I twisted and slammed my crowbar into a flyboy's stomach, it instantaneously ignited. I cackled, I couldn't help it, it was just to much fun!

**Well I hope you liked it! I know it was long but you guys are worth it! As always review!**


	19. Chapter 19: You Just Got Owned!

**Chapter 19: You Just Got OWNED!!!**

**So sorry this is so late! My goal was to finish this story as soon as Summer started but you****  
****can see how that went. This chapter is short but I promises I will post more often from now****  
****on… maybe.**

Fire trickled down my hands as I smashed the crow bar into the flyboys jaw, then I slammed the heavy metal through its back. It fell in a twitching sparking heap. "Nineteen," I muttered and picked my next pray. Darting into the mass I caught it on the side of the head, following through with a bone shattering punch which was, of coarse, on fire. "Twenty," I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing a flaming flyboy explode in mid air, just beautiful!  
Spinning in the air I swung my crow bar like a sword, knocking one of them in the shoulder. His arm jumped out of it's socket and fell, joining the rest of the carnage. Flipping in the air I kicked him in the face with my heel. "Twenty one," A metallic and rock hard hand appeared out of nowhere and slammed into my gut. Doubling  
over I gasped for air, the crowbar slipped out of my hand clattering to the ground far beneath me. Its arm cocked back preparing to hit me again, but Iggy's crowbar connected with its head.  
Before it had time to hit me, his head snapped around and his wing's stopped beating.

"Thanks," I called. He smiled.

"We will destroy you," the flyboys chanted. "You have no escape,"

"Oh shut up!" I yelled and hooked my claws under its jaw and yanked up. With a shower of  
sparks and a gut wrenching tearing sound it's lower jaw was ripped off. I slammed my heel into its shoulder. It twisted in the air turning its back to me. "Bad move," I told him and raked my flaming claws through his back. "Twenty two,"

There was a defining explosion; I looked around searching for Iggy and Gazzy. Iggy was in the middle of a fight with two flyboys- now one flyboy. Gazzy was on the ground standing next to a long tube, a bazooka!!! Where did they get this stuff? Shaking my head I pulled my wings in and dropped past Fang and ran my claws through the gut of the flyboy that was flying at him from behind. "Twenty three,"

Fang turned. "Thanks," he said.

Did he actually just _thank me!_ "No problem," I said brushing it off like it was nothing. _YES!!!_

The amount of flyboys to kill was dwindling, which was good because my power and energy was dwindling too. The tell tail signs of exhaustion hit me; my wing beats became labored, each breath I took in felt like I was breathing under water, and my vision kept focusing and unfocusing, all of which were very disorientating. Pulling my wings in I dropped into a controlled slow fall.

Small fires danced along the sides of the street, coupled with the many body parts of flyboys; All in all it was a very cheery site. I walked up to one of the larger fires and placed my hand inside it, drawing its energy into myself. I took a deep breath. That was a fun fight, I thought to my self.  
Turning I walked over to where Fang, Iggy and Gazzy stood talking to Keez. "Thanks, thanks for everything," Fang said to Keez, then he jumped into the sky. Iggy, Gazzy and I all followed suit.

We flew for and hour or two but by then even Fang was getting sluggish. We set up a tiny little camp in a grove of tall trees, on the edge of a cliff face. Honestly I am surprised we got away from those flyboys at all; there were so many of them. Where did we go from here? We had no plan, and People Magazine was a total bust.

So far it has been flyboys around every corner; no wonder they are so familiar with the machines.

I swung up onto a thick branch settling in for the night. I turned and looked over my shoulder over the sheer cliff face. The sun was just disappearing behind the horizon, staining the sky dramatic reds and oranges, and streaking the field beneath me with dark shadows. As I watched the sunset I listened over my shoulder to Gazzy and Iggy's argument about if it was possible to land on a moving vehicle.

A small sigh escaped my lips, did these guys ever not have something going on? Work, work, work,

**Short chapter, but I hope you liked it, tell me what you thought. See that little box that says****  
****"Review this Story/Chapter" click it!**


	20. Chapter 20: I Don't Get Paid Enough

Chapter 20: I don't get paid enough

**Wow I've been gone a wile from this story, but one of the reasons is simply this is my fav. scene and I really want it to be good for you guys! I hope you like it!**

You'd think that being a genetic freak would be kinda cool sometimes, and you're right but… what I'd do for a good's night sleep with out having to pass out in order to actually get eight hours, that's the dream. My "enhanced" hearing came with drawbacks, it's so "enhanced" that a good nights sleep is far out of my reach. A twig snap is as clear as a gong to me, and bird cries and I jump so far out of my skin I'm sure I left my body in some freak out-of-my-body-experience.

I wish it was just a bird, but those small noises were nothing to the sudden chaos that rained down on our camp.

The high pitched keening of failing brakes cut through the silence of night, the sleepy calmness erased from my mind as I bolted up and stared into the darkness even my eyes had trouble in this moonless night. I scaled the tree my hands fumbling my tired eyes struggling to focus. My ears swiveled picking up miniscule noises from the night, my tail swished. If I had imagined it, I was gonna get pissed. I pulled myself into the top branches and stared into the night my eyes slowly getting used to the dark.

Screams, gun shots, the revving of heavy Semi engines all broke the silence; with a hiss and a growl I slammed my hands over my sensitive ears trying to block out the tumult of noise. Again, I stared into the night, panic engulfing my senses.

This time my eyes could make out two long dark shapes in the distance. The two Semi's were parked about a mile from where our camp was, I saw two dark figures thrown in the back of one, then it's lights faired, blinding me, and it's engine roared, defining me. Something was wrong, I looked down to see where the guys were and spotted a hand closing around my ankle a split second too late.

It flung me into the ground; I coughed and heaved trying to recover. My hands ignited and I searched the night for my attacker. It stumbled over the ground and felt around blindly. What was going on? His electric green eyes vibrated and sparked as they looked around. I extinguished the fire dancing on my hands, immediately it looked straight at me and charged. I ignited again and jumped out of the way and it barreled right past me stumbling over a root, interesting… Making a note of what happened I punched it in the middle of it's back, immediately it ignited.

I took to the air and searched for the guys again. Iggy and Gazzy were no where to be found, but it didn't take me long to fine Fang, he was surrounded by the edge of the cliff, I dropped down next to him on full alert. "What happened?" I asked as all the robots broke into chaos bumping into each other and taking blind swings at us.

"I was on watch- What's happening?" He demanded looking at the robots.

"I don't know, I was with one earlier and when I ignited he acted like he was blind," I told him.

"Night vision… You're messing with the circuitry," Fang said, shoving a robot over the cliff edge.

"Oh, so what happened?" I asked again, the robots starting to process that the light was me.

"I was on watch but they came out of nowhere. I can't find Iggy or Gazzy,"

"I saw them throwing something into the back of one of the Semi's and it drove off. I think it was Iggy and Gazzy," I said realizing what I had seen. The robots started lunging at me, they had figured out that the light was me. "I have an idea, I hope you trust me by now,"

I hit one of the robots and it ignited and I extinguished my hands, the other robots converged on it and they too went up in flames.

I dove over the edge pulling Fang behind me. "Are you crazy?" he demanded as I plunged over the cliff.

"A little, why do you ask?" I asked snapping out my wings with him.

"They'll just follow us, surround us and capture us," he said. "You know they have wings too."

"I don't think so," I said checking over my shoulder just in case. "They figured out that the fire was me so when I light it on fire they'll attack that and just get ignited, right?"

"It won't work for long," he said scrutinizing my plan.

"True so fly fast, we have to catch that Semi."

"What are you planning on doing?"

"Who won that argument last night? About landing on a moving vehicle,"

"Phoenix!"

"What? We don't have many options!"

"Iggy won, he said it could happen, but that it was unbelievably risky, and they shouldn't try it. You could die! It's too risky,"

"Have you ever tried?" I demanded, silence. "Okay listen, I know you have training in self defense. I realize you have experience, and don't really trust me and I understand that, me being shoved into your life and you knowing absolutely nothing about my past, but I have animal instinct, including cat, and they jump on stuff all the time!" I said making the most pathetic argument of my life.

"But-" Fang started his face half hidden in shadow but what I could see he looked legitimately concerned.

"Do you have a better idea?" his lack of a reply was enough for me. "Sorry Fang, my minds made up. There they are, follow my lead," I said pointing to the huge truck kicking up a trail of dust a mile long.

I dived and tried to keep as low to the ground as I could, mentally preparing myself for the stunt I was about to pull. Taking a deep breath, I started picking up speed, as soon as I was over the large "Itex" logo I pulled my wings in and dropped. The few feet felt like miles and when I landed, I landed hard, and started sliding towards the end of the cargo hold. Desperately I dug my flaming claw in to the sheets of metal. I felt my feet slip off the edge and I opened my wings, pulling up. I tried again before Fang could say anything. After what felt like ages, my claws caught melting into the roof. Frigid air ripped at me trying to pull me off. A gun shot shattered threw the wind attacking my ears, the bullet hole punched threw the metal. I let go extending my wings and letting the air pull me away, my heart hammering in my ears.

I circled the Semi then landed on the very edge ripping threw the top of the door. More bullets peppered the metal siding. "Phoenix!" I heard Fang yell.

"What's up?" I asked him, diving over to the other side.

"You have to stop! You're going to get yourself killed!" he screamed as I ripped through the metal and tossed the chunks behind me, until more bullets shot at me. I dove off and shot towards the front of the Semi landing on the roof where the driver sat. He slammed on the breaks and pulled a gun. I pulled the door (which was unlocked, I mean evil 101 lock doors) and grabbed the gun from him pulling him out of the seat but he pulled the trigger and the bullet grazed my shoulder. I cursed and wrenched the gun from him. Fang landed next to me.

I ran my claws against the siding of the Semi as I walked to the back hatch the siding exploding in flames. Needless to say I was pissed, bullets shot threw the flames but they missed me by a mile. I ripped the failing door off and dove at the robots killing them easily. Iggy and Gazzy were cocooned in duct tape, their wings pressed tight to their backs. Neither were conscious.

"This is almost too easy," Fang said with a cocky smile and a sarcastic tone.

"Yeah I expected more of a challenge!"

"Are you okay though?" he asked, hurrying to Gazzy's side, and me to Iggy's.

"I'll live," I murmured as I picked at the tape with my claws, remembering just in time to stop super-heating them. Carefully I pealed back the duct tape from his hands and mouth.

"How do we wake them up?" I demanded.

"We can't, not right now the Flyboys are coming. We just need to get them out,"

"Great," I muttered walking over to the back door, I reheated my claws melting the lock and pushed the door up. "Ready?" I asked.

Fang nodded, "you take Gazzy," he said. I scooped Gazzy into my arm letting my ingured one hand by my side and leaped out of the back, and shooting towards the thick underbrush along the side of the road. I dropped under a thick bramble, slowly lowering Gazzy to the ground. I darted out again and picked up a large heavy rock and sprinted to the Semi. I placed the rock on the gas pedal and it started to roll away.

Darting back I hid. We hid under a thick bramble protected from aerial eyes.

"So, now how do we wake them up?" I asked Fang.

"Let's get their true lovers to kiss them," at first because it was _**Fang**___I thought he was serious or completely insane. I stared at him blankly.

"Tell me how that works in the morning, have fun," I said closing my eyes. Chasing after a speeding Semi truck, landing on it, and then welding my way through it with my home-made fire to rescue your two kidnapped friends from an evil corporation that actually created them (and you) is more tiring than you would think. Not to mention the hole getting shot part.


End file.
